BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. April 16, 2010 – One of the strongest and most talented fields ever assembled for a U.S. cycling race has been invited to the upcoming 2010 Amgen Tour of California. The 16-team field is comprised of the world’s best international professional cycling teams and a selection of top North American-based teams have there sights set to win Stage 6, which is the most challenging stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California eight-day event. The Queen Stage finishes in Big Bear Lake May 21, 2010.

Getting to the finish line in Big Bear Lake is no easy task. The grueling route consists of 135 miles and more than 12,000 feet of climbing through mountain passes. Stage 6, penned as “The Big Bear Climb,” should have a significant impact on the overall standings of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California.

The compelling set of teams invited to the fifth-annual race will be led by prominent UCI ProTour and Pro Continental teams, such as the three-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong’s team RadioShack; 2009’s No. 1-ranked Team HTC-Columbia, featuring sprint sensation Mark Cavendish; powerhouse Team Saxo Bank, featuring Tour of Flanders winner Fabian Cancellara and Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck; Liquigas-Doimo, an exceptionally promising young Italian team; Colorado-based Garmin-Transitions; and BMC Racing Team, featuring current U.S. Pro champion George Hincapie.  The more than 800-mile, eight-day stage race, modeled after the Tour de France, will take the world’s top professional cycling teams from Nevada City to Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills from May 16-23.

The 2010 Amgen Tour of California roster includes the following 16 professional cycling teams:

• Bissell (USA)
• BMC Racing Team (USA)
• Cervélo TestTeam (SUI)
• Fly V Australia (AUS)
• Garmin-Transitions (USA)
• Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda (USA)
• Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA)
• Liquigas-Doimo (ITA)
• Quick Step (BEL)
• Rabobank (NED)
• SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy (CAN)
• Team HTC-Columbia (USA)
• Team RadioShack (USA)
• Team Saxo Bank (DEN)
• Team Type 1 (USA)
• UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis (USA)

“These teams, with the riders we expect to compete, represent the one of the strongest fields we have had at the Amgen Tour of California.  Our move to May means that we will have Tour de France contenders in prime form racing here in the Golden State,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, presenter of the race.  “We also are pleased to have a selection of top North American-based Continental teams, who will have a chance to compete with some of the world’s best riders.”

Split between teams who compete on the UCI ProTour and those who race predominately in the United States, the field of 128 athletes will be one of the most diverse, accomplished groups of cyclists ever assembled for a stage race in the United States.

“In a few short years the Amgen Tour of California has become America’s Grand Tour, one of our country’s premier sporting events, and a showcase for the demanding and dramatic California landscape,” said Bob Stapleton, owner of Team HTC-Columbia.  “Team HTC-Columbia will contend for both the General Classification and stage wins with top riders Michael Rogers, Mark Cavendish and an exceptional supporting cast of athletes.” 

Along with ProTour and Pro Continental teams, the domestic teams will be represented by return competitors Bissell, BMC Racing Team, Cervélo TestTeam, Fly V Australia, Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda, Kelly Benefit Strategies, Team Type 1, UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis, and new competitor, Canada’s SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy.

“The entire Fly V Australia team is looking forward to going head-to-head with the best teams and riders in the world in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California,” said Chris White, team director of Fly V Australia.  “This is the biggest race of the year for our team and a great test for our riders.”

For more information about the teams competing in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, please visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

Tour of California

Related Posts:

• June 10, 2010 -- Big Bear Lake – Weekend Events (0)
                      Events Cooking Demonstrations  June 11, 2010       The Copper Q provides a totally unique shopping and...
• June 9, 2010 -- TEAM JORDAN FROM EVEREST (0)
  Big Bear Lake; Come and welcome back our world record holders to celebrate their amazing accomplishment. Welcome Jordan and Live Your Dreams...
• May 12, 2010 -- Mountain Trekking- Jordan Romero (1)
  This is Jordan Romero's phonecast from the Himalayas. They have been traveling between camps at 17,000 feet and 24,000 feet, aclimating ...
• April 29, 2010 -- Big Bear Lake Community Rides (0)
  Sponsored by the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce Do you have a bike in your garage that is covered with dust and cobwebs? If so, dust it off a...

Amgen Tour of California

BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. March 25, 2010 – Race fans of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California can now purchase official merchandise specifically designed for the Stage 6 route from Pasadena to Big Bear Lake, known as the Big Bear Climb. Specially created merchandise for this leg of the tour, which includes an exclusive Big Bear Climb emblem, gives cycling enthusiasts and casual fans commemorative souvenirs for the Amgen Tour of California’s first-ever mountain finish.

Official Big Bear Climb goods for both men and women include clothing selections such as t-shirts, long sleeve ‘quick-dry’ athletic shirts and fleece jackets. In addition to exclusive Big Bear Climb merchandise, cycling fans can purchase official Amgen Tour of California gear including t-shirts, baseball caps, beanies, cycling socks and official 2010 Amgen Tour of California race jerseys. The official race jerseys include the newly designed 2010 Amgen Leader Jersey, 2010 Breakaway from Cancer Most Courageous Jersey and the 2010 King of the Mountains Jersey. These fine apparel products can be purchased online at www.thebigbearclimb.com. Items may be purchased in person at select retail locations in Big Bear  Lake including The Big Bear Chamber of Commerce, The City of Big Bear Lake City Hall, Northwoods Resort, Big Bear Vacations and Bear Valley Bikes. Also, select bike shops throughout the Inland Empire.

Listed are select retail locations throughout the Inland Empire…

Competitive Edge Cyclery – 7890 Haven Ave. #9, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 (909) 466-5444

Palm Springs Cyclery – 611 S. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, CA 92264, (760) 325-9319
Palm Desert Cyclery – 77-780 Country Club Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92211, (760) 345-9096

Redlands Cyclery – 415 Tennessee St., Redlands, CA 92373, (909) 792-2444
Riverside Cyclery USA – 10000 Magnolia Ave., Riverside CA 92503, (951) 354-8444

Yucaipa Bike Center, 34844 Yucaipa Blvd., Yucaipa, CA 92399, (909) 790-1551

Related Posts:

• February 11, 2010 -- Big Bear Lake – Amgen Tour of California Stage 6 (0)
  BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. February 11, 2010 – Today officials of the Amgen Tour of California announced the Stage 6 route from Pasadena to Big...
• April 29, 2010 -- Big Bear Lake Community Rides (0)
  Sponsored by the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce Do you have a bike in your garage that is covered with dust and cobwebs? If so, dust it off a...
• June 9, 2010 -- TEAM JORDAN FROM EVEREST (0)
  Big Bear Lake; Come and welcome back our world record holders to celebrate their amazing accomplishment. Welcome Jordan and Live Your Dreams...
• March 11, 2010 -- 4th of July Fireworks Fundraising (0)
  Chamber to Start “4th of July” Fireworks Fundraising  Each year over 100,000+ visitors come to the Big Bear mountain community to celebrate...

Mount San Gorgornio

 On the first day of Spring we thought we would check out the hiking conditions over in the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area. We headed down HWY 38 and stopped at Onyx Summit to take the above picture.

The roads were excellent and we easily made our way over to the South Fork Parking lot on Jenks Lake Road. Only half of the parking lot was plowed, but there was plenty of room. There were around 20 parked cars in the area. Some were playing in the snow and other had taken off for a hike.

We headed over to the South Fork Trail. Much to our surprise, there was so much snow, there wasn’t a trail! The video below shows how much snow is in the area.

Additional Resources:

• More about hiking trails in the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area
• Hiking in Southern California – Image : http://www.flickr.com California has much to do in the way of beaches, entertainment and any such offer. Many people do not realize that there are enormous opportunities for hiking, especially in the south. …
• Southern California Hiking | Southern California Hikes – Southern California Hiking | Southern California Hikes.
• Hiking Deer Spring Trail and the Southern California backcountry … – Here is a Southern California vacation idea to get away from the crowded theme parks and casinos. Hiking the Southern California backcountry in Idyllwild, California lifts you above the deserts and into alpine forests soaring from a …
• New Road Signs – Sacred Rocks Reserve « Sacred Rocks blog – 1 Comment Tags: Big Rigs, camping, Dog Friendly, earth friendly, Hiking, Southern California RV Park, Winter. What you see from Highway 94 going East. Yay! The sign looks great! Hope there’ll be no more confused travelers anymore.

Related Posts:

• February 11, 2010 -- Southern California Superpipe – Big Bear Lake (0)
  Photo Courtesy of Bear Mountain Resort   (Big Bear Lake, CA - February 11, 2010) - Bear Mountain is offering a dose of the Olympic Spiri...
• February 10, 2010 -- Snow Forecast for Southern California Mountain Resorts (1)
  [caption id="attachment_1686" align="aligncenter" width="525" caption="Photo Courtesy of Bear Mountain Resort"][/caption] Big Bear Lake C...
• January 8, 2009 -- Winter Hiking (0)
  During the winter, the best hiking is out in the east valley, especially behind Baldwin Lake. Daytime temperatures are usually warmer causin...
• July 9, 2010 -- Big Bear Lake -Things To Do (0)
  From the Big Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce (MAP): We have two zipline companies which can take you zipping through the trees, enjoying be...

BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. February 11, 2010 – Today officials of the Amgen Tour of California announced the Stage 6 route from Pasadena to Big Bear Lake. On Friday, May 21 the world’s top professional cyclists including Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Dave Zabriskie and George Hincapie will battle it out on the Tour’s most challenging route known as the queen stage. The route from Pasadena to Big Bear Lake consists of 135 miles and more than 12,000 feet of climbing. The grueling queen stage is specifically designed to challenge cyclists, and should have a significant impact on the overall standings of the Amgen Tour of California (ATOC).

“The May timing of the 2010 edition of the AMGEN Tour of California is going to allow us to visit some challenging new areas of California that previously were not possible due to the weather,” said Andrew Messick president of AEG Sports, presenter of the race. “The Stage 6 route from Pasadena to Big Bear is the perfect example, with our first-ever mountaintop finish at a 7,000 foot elevation.”

Stage 6 begins in Centennial Square, directly in front of Pasadena City Hall at 9:45 a.m. The cyclists will make their way through Old Pasadena as they head east on Colorado Boulevard and over the historic Colorado Street Bridge. The racers will drop into Arroyo Seco and pass by the iconic Rose Bowl, where the competitive portion of the race begins.

The first of four main climbs along the route takes place as the riders ascend into the San Gabriel Mountains on the Angeles Crest Highway (Highway 2) to an elevation of 3,700 feet. The cyclists will encounter a number of climbs on Highway 2 as they strive to reach Dawson Saddle, the highest point of the entire tour at 7,900 feet. From Dawson Saddle the racers will have their first sprint to Wrightwood at an elevation of 5,960 feet.

The peloton of riders will cross Interstate 15 on an overpass, and make their push east onto a curvy Highway 138 to Silverwood Lake. In the distance the cyclists will see mountain vistas that surround Big Bear Lake, which looks quite intimidating from afar. From Silverwood Lake a steep and windy climb into the San Bernardino Mountains begins on their way to Crestline.

The race then moves onto Highway 18, which is known as the Rim of the World Highway, because of its narrow stretch of road that sets on the edge of the San Bernardino Mountains. This portion of the race goes through the mountain communities of Sky Forest, Running Springs and Arrowbear.

Just outside of Arrowbear the racers will encounter the last long sustained climb of the day. The riders will have a steep climb all the way to Lakeview Point, which tops out at 7,112 feet. At this point the cyclists will be treated to a stunning view of Big Bear Lake, the jewel of the San Bernardino Mountains.

From Lakeview Point the racers will sprint along a portion of Highway 18, known as the Arctic Circle. The racers will kick it into high gear as they give it their all on this final sprint to Big Bear Lake. The race route enters Big Bear Valley at Big Bear Dam, but rather than crossing the dam and heading through the City of Big Bear Lake, the riders will continue on the north shore of the lake and race along the shoreline for about three miles. The cyclists will ride through the quaint mountain town of Fawnskin and pass by some of Big Bear’s most recognizable locales, such as the Big Bear Discovery Center, Serrano Campground and the East Boat Public Launch Ramp. The cyclists will cross over Stanfield Cutoff to the City of Big Bear Lake and make a mad dash for the finish line at the base of Snow Summit Mountain Resort at an elevation of 7,000 feet.

The race is expected to end in Big Bear Lake sometime between 3:20 p.m. and 4 p.m. By the end of stage the race the riders will have climbed more than 12,000 feet. The Amgen Tour of California’s first-ever mountaintop finish in Big Bear Lake could very well be a determining factor in the outcome of the final standings.

Big Bear Lake at Snow Summit is the finnish for the Amgen Big Tour of California. The route and video were posted this morning. Watch this video to get an idea of The Big Bear Climb!

More About Big Bear CA

• Bicycle .net :: 2010 Amgen Tour of California Route Revealed for … – Specific route details for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California professional cycling race are being announced this week via specially-produced videos highlighting each of the race’s eight stages. Today’s videos, which were produced by the …
• Route Announcement, Stage 6 – The Big Bear Climb | The Big Bear … – Stage 6 – The Big Bear Climb of the Amgen Tour of California will travel 132 grueling miles from Pasadena, through the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains, and finish in the first-ever mountain-top finish in Big Bear Lake. …

Related articles by Zemanta

• Cycling LIVESTRONG Big Bear Tour of California Livingstrong (livingstrongandhappy.blogspot.com)

Related Posts:

• March 25, 2010 -- Amgen Tour of California -CYCLING FANS (0)
  [caption id="attachment_1735" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Amgen Tour of California"][/caption] BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. March 2...
• January 25, 2010 -- Road Conditions and Emergency Shelters (1)
  Looking towards Big Bear Lake -Gold Mountain, Butler Peak and Snow Summit  Snow Summit open, Bear Mountain closed! Road restrictions were ...
• April 29, 2010 -- Big Bear Lake Community Rides (0)
  Sponsored by the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce Do you have a bike in your garage that is covered with dust and cobwebs? If so, dust it off a...
• February 11, 2010 -- Southern California Superpipe – Big Bear Lake (0)
  Photo Courtesy of Bear Mountain Resort   (Big Bear Lake, CA - February 11, 2010) - Bear Mountain is offering a dose of the Olympic Spiri...

Atlas Snowshoes from Goldsmith's Board House

Did you know Snowshoe the Bear is this Saturday, February, 6. The event welcomes both experts and complete novices. It starts in the Big Bear Lake Village at 8:00 AM and goes out into the San Bernardino National Forest. There is a fully marked five and ten kilometer course. Enjoy fun, family atmosphere and live music.

I’ve never been snowshoeing, and I wondered what our conditions were like (besides the obvious four foot base of snow). I wanted to know; did the snow support the snowshoes, how well do the shoes grip the snow, and how fast could I walk.

I went over to Goldsmith’s Board House (909 866-2728) in Big Bear Lake and rented a pair. I found out there are basically three types of snowshoes;

1. Running –smaller size for aerobic exercise, not practical for serious long term snow travel.
2. Recreational –better in the back country, slightly larger than the running ones.
3. Mountaineering – made for serious outdoor travel and for long distance. These snowshoes can be up to 30 inches long by 10 inches wide.

Snowshoes for running have fixed rotation bindings which bring the back of shoe up with each step, allowing faster movement.  When you find the pair you want make sure you can easily manipulate the straps and securely lock your boot into the snowshoes.

I strapped myself into the snowshoes and was surprised how easy it was to walk in them. I didn’t use the polls. I noticed the crampon cleats were on the balls of my feet. I switched my balance from the heels to the front and was able to move at a good speed.

When I walked on a path that had already been broken, I didn’t leave much of an impression. When I went out into untracked snow, my snowshoes left a three inch deep track (see video). I fell through once. I walked too close to a bush…we have so much snow, you can’t see the bushes!

Goldsmith’s carry Atlas snowshoes, including poles and pack, for under $200. While you’re there, you may want to pick up a good pair of sunglasses or goggles. Ask for Ashley, she helped us and is very knowledgeable. She can hook you up with clothing, boots, anything you need for high altitude recreation.

FACT: The first snowshoes in North America are attributed to the Huron and the Algonquin Indians.

10k Course Description: Begin on Village Drive in front of Paoli’s Restaurant.  Turn right/south on Knickerbocker.  Turn left/east on Forest Road 2N08. Continue on Forest Road 2N08 to trail 1E01.  Turn left/south on 1E01 to Deer Group Camp.  Turn right on the Deer Group Camp access road (from the middle of the camp) to Forest Road 2N08.  Turn right/east on Forest Road 2N08 and continue to the village via the same path.

5k Course Description: Begin on Village Drive in front of Paoli’s Restaurant.  Turn right/south on Knickerbocker.  Turn left/east on Forest Road 2N08.  Turn left/east on Towne Trail (marked with Boulders).  Turn around at beginning of Summit Condos.  Return via the same path.

Additional Resources;

Snowshoeing in the San Jacinto Mountains; Several people took the tram and then asended to the top of the mountain. They shot several great videos. The snow conditions are very much like our mountains.

Snow Report Big Bear- Updated snow conditions for Big Bear Mountain Resorts, Snow Valley, Mount Baldy, Mountain High and Mammoth Mountain.

Snowboard & Ski Rentals- Goldsmith’s Boardhouse and Ski Rentals is what we recommend. They have been fitting skiis, adjusting boards forever! Their staff is knowledgable and can shred with the best. Work with people who love the sport!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Southern California Traveler’s Stats Revealed by Online Lodging and Vacation Rentals Directory Rentalo.com (prweb.com)
• Go ahead, forget to pack your skis and snowshoes (nationalpost.com)
• Snowshoers, here’s your boot (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• How To Make Emergency Snowshoes (howcast.com)
• Ski season: Is your body mountain-ready? (nationalpost.com)
• 10 Places to Cross-Country Ski for Free (abcnews.go.com)
• Help Planet Green “Save Our Slopes” (treehugger.com)
• Winter Mountaineering Tour in Dragus – Fagaras Mountains (highballblog.com)

Related Posts:

• January 31, 2010 -- Arts & Culture – Big Bear Lake (0)
  [caption id="attachment_1656" align="aligncenter" width="425" caption="Art Gallery in the Village of Big Bear Lake"][/caption] Big Bear Lak...
• January 31, 2010 -- Clubs (1)
  From A to Z, Big Bear residents can find a club or organization that meets a need, offers an opportunity to serve, or provides a learning ex...
• January 26, 2010 -- Snow Conditions (0)
  Both Bear Mountain and Snow Summit are experiencing epic conditions. The last storm increase the snow base to 48-84 inches of machine groome...
• January 25, 2010 -- Road Conditions (0)
  The latest road update is Caltrans and CHP will continue to allow trucks to travel up Hwy. 38 for fuel and food supplies deliveries. I...